Fraternity-Testvériség, 1967 (45. évfolyam, 2-12. szám)
1967-06-01 / 6-7. szám
Your Medical Director Speaks BY FRANK S. HORVATH, M.D., F.A.C.P. Further Thoughts On Your "Ticker” To better understand and appreciate today’s presentation, I would like to ask you to reread my first communication, which appeared in the May issue of Fraternity, entitled, “Thoughts On Your ‘Ticker’.” The Article will rdfresh your memory on the real purpose, function and importance of your “ticker,” your bloodvessels, and particularly of the coronary arteries whose clogging up, called coronary thrombosis or heart attacks, kill more than half a million people in the U.S.A., old and young, every year. You will recall that these attacks may seriously injure or disable many others who survive them, unless they are properly diagnosed and treated then and afterwards. At this point I wish to quote a portion of “So More Will Live . . .” from a composite Report To The American People, by the American Heart Association, published in the New York Times on January 19, 1967. This world-famous message was authored by the eminent cardiologist, Paul Dudley White, M.D., teacher, scientist, a founder of the American Heart Association, and one of the most experienced clinicians of our time. Dr. White’s very interesting message has already become a classic and speaks for itself. It is clear, full of hope and promise and is provocative enough so that you won’t dare shirk your responsibility if you are somebody’s keeper! This is what Dr. White says: “Until recently medical practice concentrated exclusively on the diagnosis and treatment of heart attacks and strokes as they appeared in middle age or old age. And our progress along these lines has been substantial with the development of new drugs and surgical techniques as well as rehabilitative approaches. But I have lived long enough to see an interesting phenomenon develop: a return to what was considered old-fashioned medical thinking, expressed in the old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This time around, however, it is based on the most sophisticated and advanced scientific research into the factors that contribute to and cause heart disease in whole populations. Findings of these studies have confirmed what / have practiced as well as preached all my professional life: the health of old age is to a large extent dependent on the health habits of middle age; the health of middle age on the health habits of the young adult; and the health habits of the young adult on those of the teenager—and even these, l believe, have become defective during the last generation. My own long experience, as well as the research of innumerable medical scientists, has convinced me that diet and weight are most important and should be controlled sensibly from the age of 12 or even before. We are an over-nourished nation, and we should wake up and regard excessive food intake as a serious health hazard—an intoxication with a slow and insidiously harmful effect, not so acute or dramatic as intoxication by alcohol or drugs, but almost as damaging. Therefore, we must get this message across to pediatricians, parents, school teachers and public health personnel who deal with children. For optimal function of an alert brain, a really good blood supply is needed— and this means not only avoidance of overnutrition but also physical fitness in terms of firm and active muscles. There is more truth than humor in the saying that if you want to know how flabby your brain is, feel your leg muscles. Regular exercise of the large muscles of the body is essential to positive health: a walk of four miles a day, or a comparable activity, is I believe, the minimum needed for good health. You may prefer to swim or to play golf (without a cart!) or to bicycle—it doesn’t matter which. Physiological and psychological benefits are great. Blood-clot prevention and the delaying of serious arteriosclerosis affecting heart, brain and kidneys are clearcut results of this essential health regimen which needs to be emphasized far and wide in this era of our slavery to machines of all kinds. During active use of the legs, for example, their muscles act as circulation boosters relieving the heart of 30% of its load. The avoidance of cigarettes and of the use of other toxic substances, as well as of excessive amounts of alcohol and coffee are all quite clearly to be included in our list of proper health habits. Annual medical examinations, even brief ones, are invaluable at all ages. At least once, the older teenager or young adult in his twenties should in addition to the routine physical, have 1967 CONFIRMATION CLASS — FAIRPORT HARBOR, OHIO. We are happy to introduce the above group of young people with their Pastor the Rev. Victor Orth. As we congratulate them on the occasion of their confirmation, we note with special pride and joy that out of their group of 19, 16 of the confirmed young people are members of our Federation. The remaining 3 anticipate joining our Fraternal Family. The group was the guest of our Federation at the Confirmation Banquet held in their honor. FIRST ROW: Donna J. Rippin, Dawn D. Oris, Melanie J. Riboczi, Nancy G. Purgert, Amy K. Purgert, Gloria J. Kish, Betty F. Kutz. SECOND ROW: William R. Cale, Rev. Victor Orth, pastor; Steven Wm. Yoe, Ronald L. Lawrence, Charles F. Rippin, Timothy C. Bodnar. THIRD ROW: Gary G. Toth, Richard Knesebeck, Frank J. Lawrence, Anker M. Bell, Steve A. Gyure, James P. Butsko, Paul K. László. 10
